The COVID-19 coronavirus has forced many groups to adapt and change the way they normally operate, including churches.

One behind the other, cars lined up in the parking lot of St. Ann鈥檚 Catholic Parish in Penticton, waiting for their turn to confess.

Friday, April 10, served as the second time the Catholic Parishes of Penticton have offered drive-thru confessions, a new practice popping up in other areas of the province allowing individuals to practice their religion while social distancing.

Father Nick Meisl, of St. Patrick鈥檚 Parish in Vancouver, also hosted physically-distant confessions in a parking lot on April 8.

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With the garage door open, priest in place behind a screen, each drove in, parked, and confessed. Some did so from behind a screen in private, some chose to sit so they could see the priest.

鈥淭he reason why we are doing it this way, is because we still want to connect with our people, and bring God鈥檚 message; Jesus still wants to bless the world with love and forgiveness and mercy, in spite of whatever is happening in the world,鈥� said Father Obi, who serves both Catholic parishes in Penticton.

鈥淧eople are afraid and they want peace.鈥�

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With Easter weekend here, many churches are offering different ways for their congregations to participate in service. The Catholic Parishes of Penticton have been live-streaming services with sometimes up to a thousand viewers joining them from their homes.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been able to do everything we鈥檝e always done, but are doing it now online,鈥� he said.

For Father Obi, Sunday will mark the first time he has conducted an Easter service without hundreds in the rows in front of him.

Parishioners in both St. Ann鈥檚 Parish and St. John Vianney Parish are finding it hard not to celebrate the holiday with their community.

In the Catholic religion, Easter weekend consists of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been hard for people, for me too,鈥� Obi said. 鈥淭his is the first time as a priest I won鈥檛 be able to celebrate Easter - this is the greatest time in our Catholic tradition鈥� it is tough.鈥�

Despite this, Obi is optimistic.

鈥淲hat it has done, it has, in a very deep way, has bonded us together. Because sometimes there are things we take for granted. We see each other every day. But right now because of the difficulty of the day, and the isolation, we鈥檝e been even more spiritually bonded. So as difficult as COVID-19 is, it鈥檚 bearing some fruit, (there is) a silver lining.

鈥淚n this time of crisis, somehow, it鈥檚 bringing about something new. It鈥檚 bringing before us new opportunities. It鈥檚 bringing before us some kind of internal renewal, in our hearts, and in the family, and in the church as a whole.鈥�

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editor@pentictonwesternnews.com
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